Ryu didn't respond. He continued to adjust his mental state to the highest level. Even he wasn't foolish to take Third Order beasts lightly. While he was able to use 5% of his strength to defeat a Lower Third Order dire wolf, that was obviously impossible for higher order beasts. He needed to be prepared to go all out.
"No fun at all." Silas chuckled, not minding at all. "I wonder, though. How would the crowd react if they saw you at your lowest point like I have? Could the prestige of the Tor Clan withstand such a blow? What would the public think if they knew the reason why Fourth Prince Tor is such an unknown variable?"
Silas' words caught the attention of the crowd mostly because they were absolutely correct. While Ryu's attack on Amory's psyche had been mostly speculation, everyone here could attest to the fact that Ryu's name didn't resound like those of his elder brothers. But, clearly, he was an extremely talented individual.
Here, Silas displayed his cunning entirely. He seemed to be attacking Ryu, but the hidden meaning within his words also dealt a blow to the Tor Clan as a whole. If he truly was in an alliance with Amory, wouldn't he have chosen different words?
It was no secret that Silas and Amory were the only official disciples of Headmaster Leopold. It seemed that neither of them could be underestimated.
"Say…" Silas said softly. "White hair on a fifteen-year-old is quite rare don't you think? As you know, I'm just a weak scholar, nowhere near as powerful as the mighty Tor Clan brothers. However, I do have some small achievements in the matters of literature.
"No one in the Tor Clan has white hair aside from the old. No one in the Agnes Clan has white hair aside from the old. So… Where did your white hair come from? I'm curious."
The crowd suddenly shifted uncomfortably. Silas' words weren't so simple, not simple at all. Was he not afraid of starting an all-out war between his Viri Kingdom and Ryu's Tor Kingdom?
Those who were sharper began piecing together the hidden meanings behind his words. Why was it that a talent of Ryu's caliber had been suppressed for so long? Why was it that the former First Concubine had been demoted not once, but twice to the ranks of Third Concubine?
Even King Tor, who had been enjoying this squabble until now, felt his features darken. He had personally conducted the tests. Leilani was innocent and Ryu was in fact his son. He had different reason for suppressing Ryu to the best of his abilities, but it wasn't his place as a King to reprimand the Prince of another Kingdom.
"Interesting point. So you mean to say that even without the bloodline of any of the Tor, Viri or Lantes Totems, I still placed first among you all? I must be quite the talent." Ryu responded plainly.
In truth, Ryu hardly cared about his 'mother', even if her reputation was dragged through the dirt, he wouldn't blink an eye. As for King Tor, he cared even less. He would find it quite funny if the general public believed he was a cuckold.
However, after thinking for a moment, Ryu decided to respond. He had carefully laid out plans he was slowly executing step by step in coming here. Silas' interference would actually make it easier for him to accomplish the final steps. So, he decided to play along.
As though expecting this response, Silas smiled. 'You've played directly into my hands.'
"Of course, of course." Silas said smilingly. "Neither Prince Kwan nor Prince Kalmin could take even a single step without their bloodline Totems present, yet you not only far surpassed that, you placed first! Commendable, commendable."
Ryu smiled lightly. "I understand. My fake father is a cuckold. My mother is a whore. And my true father is some sort of legendary existence capable of giving me such talent, indeed. I wonder how this normal mother of mine who wasn't even worthy enough to become Queen could attract such a man."
Silas was stunned by Ryu's blunt words. It wasn't just him either, Third Concubine Leilani broke down in tears, burying her head between her legs. In that moment, her already graying hair grew more frail and dried.
"I'm only speculating." Silas shook his head, not willing to take credit for such words. "I only mean to say that there are many powerful men in existence frivolously pursue women. If I remember correctly, the White Devil Cult of years' past didn't seem to care about the merits of their victims… no?"
Recovering his wits, Silas struck forward with these words the moment he gained an opening. Without fail, these words left the crowd even more shocked. Maybe only the mention of the White Devil Cult could have more of an impact than the public shaming of a King and Royal Concubine.
It wasn't that the crowd hadn't noticed Ryu's white hair, but that they didn't dare to draw a connection between him and such a sinister organization. Although the White Devil Cult had left a terrible black mark on their history, objectively speaking, they were still a Cult that hadn't been to this Plane in millions of years at the most, with even the shortest estimates being several dozen thousand years.
"I'm curious." Silas said with a light smile. "I'm not the most learned on the matters of the blind, but keeping one's eyes closed isn't exactly normal practice among you all, is it? I wonder, why is it that Fourth Prince Tor insists on closing his eyes to the world?"
The crowd began to grow restless. Suddenly, they understood why they hadn't tied Ryu to the White Devil Cult immediately. White hair was only a single aspect of their reality, what many accounts remember were their piercing silver eyes!
By now, no one believed that Prince Silas and Atticus were allied with Amory. For the sake of winning, how could an ally destroy the reputation of a Kingdom so thoroughly? This wasn't a blow the Tor Clan's Faith could take, even as the number one Kingdom of their Plane.
"Why don't you show us your eyes?" Silas egged the crowd on. His words suddenly caused an avalanche of chants from the crowd.
Ryu smiled lightly. "I wonder something as well… If my real father truly is a White Devil, what makes you think I won't kill you where you stand?"
Silas felt a cold shiver descend his spine as Ryu's words froze over the crowd.
"That's a funny joke." Silas laughed, his expression never changing. "Take this as being the fault of my crude humor." His gaze shifted, not minding Ryu at all. He knew that here, Ryu would never lay a finger on him.. "Half Prince Kwan! After I finish attacking these steps, you will do the same… If you don't, I'll make sure your elder brother is forced to take another step back."